Streetlight and electric vehicle operation

Under Freedom of Information rules I would like to know the following:

1) Are you the local authority responsible for streetlights in your area? (If no, please go directly to question 7)

Yes

2) Have you, or are you in the process of changing your streetlights to LED lighting? If so, please can you tell me how many lights or the percentage of lights which are now LED.

Devon County Council over the past 3 years have replaced approximately 25,000 street lights with LED units.

3) If you have or are changing your streetlights to LEDs can you give estimates for: a) the amount of CO2 saved annually compared to the old lighting

Due to the various styles and wattages of street lights and the differing times they are lit it’s difficult to estimate the total amount of CO2 saved. Generally, our LED lighting reduces the CO2 emissions in the range of 45 to 70%.

b) the amount of money saved annually compared to the old lighting

Due to the various styles and wattages of street lights and the differing times they are lit it’s difficult to estimate the value saved. Generally, our LED lighting reduces the energy consumption in the range of 45 to 70%.

4) If you have not changed your lighting to LEDs please can you say what the main barriers (eg, cost) are to doing so.

Following on from our response to question 2 above, this question is not applicable.

5) Do you operate a system of either dimming or switching off streetlights for some of the hours of darkness? If so, please give details (times/percentage of lights etc)

No street lights have been switched off all night. From 2008 to 2017 DCC has gradually converted all residential street lights to Part Night (5 Hour saving) but since 2016 all new installs of all night street lights are dimmed overnight. To establish exact numbers of the conversions and the installations would require a review of each of the 50,000 street lights in Devon. This would take at least 10 minutes per light, assuming the information is still available for each light, and the work would therefore take in excess of 8,000 hours. This is in excess of the appropriate time limit and this information is therefore exempt from disclosure pursuant to s. 12 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

6) If you operate such a system, can you give estimates for: a) The amount of CO2 saved annually from the system

Due to the various styles and wattages of street lights it’s difficult to estimate the total amount of CO2 saved. Generally Dimming or Part Night Lighting will reduce the CO2 emissions by approximately 25% for all those street lights.

b) The amount of money saved annually from the system.

Due to the various styles and wattages of street lights it’s difficult to estimate the total savings. Generally Dimming or Part Night Lighting will reduce the cost by approximately 25% for all those street lights.

7) How many street light electric vehicle charging points are there in your area?